Heating system for corrugating machines



W. J. @@zf' HEATING SYSTEM FOR CORRUGATING MACHINES Filed, Nov'. 27',1945 NW., "p m13@ .IHMW/ Aatented ov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES iiATENTOFFICE HEATING SYSTEM FOR CORRUGATING MACHINES Walter J. Goettsch,Kenilworth, Ill., assignor to Samuel M. Langston Co., a corporation ofNew Jersey 14 Claims.

This invention relates primarily to apparatus for the manufacture ofcorrugated board, and involves a new system of moistening, heating anddrying the constituent sheets as they are advanced through the machineand assembled to form a final product.

. In the manufacture of double faced corrugated paper from sheets ofcontinuously advancing paper, the successive steps usually employed areto heat and moisten one of the sheets; pass it between heatedcorrugating rollers; apply adhesive to the crown of the producedcorrugations; pass the corrugated sheet and a plain facing sheet betweena smooth heated roller and one of the corrugating rollers, and underpressure to form a single corrugated sheet; apply adhesive to theopposite side of the corrugated sheet at the crowns of the corrugations;bring a second facing sheet into engagement with the adhesive-coatedcrowns; draw the assembly of three sheets under pressure over heatedplates by the action of endless conveyor belts which apply pressure aswell as traction; and deliver the stiff double faced corrugated sheetthus produced, to a suitable cut-off mechanism which cuts it intosections of the required length.

In a high speed apparatus of this type there are usually employed from25 to 40 heated units, such as drums, rollers and plates, and steam isusually employed as the heating medium. The heating to be efficientshould utilize the latent heat of steam, and the steam should be keptunder such pressure in the several units as to give the desired heatingtemperature. The collection or retention of non-condensable gases in thesystem should be prevented, so far as possible, because they act asinsulators and impair the ability of the steam to give up its heat.Therefore, such gases should be vented from o1' swept out of the unitsin which they might otherwise collect, and in such a manner as toprevent the simultaneous venting of any steam which might otheru wise beutilized in heating the units, or some of lthe materials entering theunits.

In some constructions groups of units, such as the three main rollers ofthe singlefacer, and separate groups of plates of the doublefacer, havebeen connected for the flow of steam therethrough in series, but in suchan arrangement the steam flow and the heating effect will be 2progressively less in the units of each group due to steam condensationin each, and due also to the intermittent action of the traps.

In some constructions the several units have been connected in parallelbetween a steam supply pipe and a common return line, and with a trap atthe outlet of each common return line. With this arangement there isdifliculty in obtaining the proper steam flow in each unit to give theheat there required, a liability of shortcircuiting some units, a lowrate of flow in each unit, and a wasteful discharge of steam to thereturn line from many of the units.

In order to facilitate the proper corrugating of the paper in thesinglefacer, it is desirable to moisten and heat it before it iscorrugated, and for this purpose it has been common practice to deliversteam against the paper before it enters between the corrugatingrollers. It is usual practice to deliver such steam directly from themain line to properly positioned nozzles, commonly known as showers.

Among the objects of the present invention are vto overcome variousobjections to prior procedures, more effectively utilize the steamemployed, better distribute the heating in accordance with the needs ofthe various units of the apparatus, avoid the necessity for trapsthrough which steam or gases flow, prevent the loss of steam with ventedgases, and provide a system in which all of the steam delivered isutilized. Other objects and advantages will be pointed out hereinafter,or will be apparent from a study of the apparatus illustrated.

In my improved system I need not employ any steam return line, and neednot vent any noncondensable gases from the system along the line ofsteam flow. The steam is delivered through all of the units to beheated, with the different types of units connected in series, andcondensate is trapped and withdrawn from the steam line after leavingeach unit, or each small series of units. The units are connected insuch order that the ones to be heated to the highest temperature receivethe steam first, and the ones requiring the least heat receive it last.The residual steam, after leaving the last unit, is discharged to theatmosphere through nozzles, commonly known as showers, for moisteningand heating one or more of the sheets to be incor- QJ porated in theproduct, and al1 of the non-condensable gases are discharged from thesystem and into the atmosphere with the steam used for such moisteningand heating.

Thus all of the steam delivered from the boilers is used up in thesystem, there is a high rate of flow through the entire system, thenon-con densable gases are prevented from collecting in any of theunits, and the condensate from the several units may ow back for re-usein the boiler, and without impeding the delivery of steam to the units.y

My improved system is very economical in the use of steam, as itrequires only a small number of pounds oi steam per 1000 square feet ofproduct produced. It permits of the operationof the machine at very highspeed, and theproduction of corrugated board in which the tendency tosubsequent warpage is greatlyfreducedue to `the controlled and eilicientheatingof 'the fuiiits, and prevents the collection of anynon-condensable gases in any of the units, bythe sweeping action of therapid flow oi steam therethrough.A

Broadly considered, my improved systeminvolves delivering the highpressure steam through `the :rollers of the singlefacer, then throughthe against the sheet or sheets to beprocessed, before the latter passlbetween the corrugating rollers,

or in some cases against Ithe facing sheets before these enter theina-chine, and where such facing vsheets 'may require such =`treatment.condensate formed in 'the several 'units 'is trapped at a plurality of.points'alor'izg-theflina sothat it does not interfere with the rapidVflow of steam 'through the system.

As specific-features, `the steam may be passed thrughthe rollers ofthesinglefa'cer inparallel;

may be passed in 4.parallel through the ,-.p'lates'of successive groups,but through the groups 'in series; andthe s'teaxn,^after leaving'thedoublefacer. -may be heated 'if 'necessary before being sprayed againstthe sheet t` be corrugated.

In the accompanying drawing th'e Ina-in por-- tionsof Va machine 'formaking double faced corfru'gated'board are :shown diagrammatically, Ahutwhere Ithere areemployed aplura'lity of similar units, only vonefor afewof such units are shown.

It applies particularly tothe'pl'ates of the doublevfacer, and-on thedrawing the lines x-x, y--y and z-'e indicate places from which parts'ofthe machine are omitted. It alsoapplies to the single- .facers 'wheretw`o `or more lare employed in mak- -ing a product having two or morecorrugated sheets with intermediate'plain'sheets and outside facingsheets.

The .parts of the machine which are of conventional 4fori-n andthefunction thereof will be described rstfahd 4without reference to vmyimproved system.

The singlefacer includes apair of heated drums I!) and yI I, a 'pressure4roller I`2, a'pair of corru- Vgating rollers I3 Aand I4, and in somecases -a heated drum I5.. vThe lfacer sheet A 'passes around theA heateddrums IEI vand II, and then between the pressure rollerI2'and`thecorrugating roller I3.l The other sheet B'pa'sse'so'ver the-heated drum "I5 which frequently hoises 'one of the shower pipes, underanother steam shower pipe, and then between the corrugating rollers I3and I4. Glue is applied to the crowns of the corrugations of the sheet Bwhile the latter is in the corrugating roller I3, and the resultingsingle faced sheet C` is delivered to the doublefacer. The facer sheet Dis passed around a heated drum I'I, thence under a heated plate I8 andover a second heated plate I9, where it comes into contact with thesingle faced corrugated sheet C after the latter has passed over aheated tension drum 20 and afsuitable glue ap-plier, not shown.

The doublefacer includes a large number of heated plates 2|, over whichthe double faced corrugated sheet E is pulled at high speed, While"pressure is applied to hold the sheets together during the setting ofthe glue. Such pulling and pressing means VVincluding a conveyor beltabove fthe'sheet E and the plates 2l, and a second conveyor belt belowYthe sheet E and beyond the plates. l As theseconveyors, the glueapplying means, the drive for the rollers and drums, and such othermechanical elements, form no portion oi the present invention and arenot involved in my vimproved he'atingsystem,`fan'dmaybe of nventionalform, theyfhave not been illustrated.

In carrying outmy invention in `the specific lform illustrated, high.pressure steam, Whichfm'ay have a'temperature 'inthe general range of`330 F. and 380 F., is delivered from `the boiler through-a steammainline 25, Whichfis preferably 'mounted overhead, and to the singlefacerl end lof the machine. A branch line .2S leads Afl'oxnthe ymainline to an inletmanifoldf2f1."above the' single'- disposed adjacenttothe intake end'of the doublefacer.

Steam 'is also'drawn off 'from `the main rlitre 25 througha 'line'l 4Iandthrough branch lines'l42,

43 'and 44 to the interior'of the heater drums 2U and ill, and thelheat'er.plate iI8. 'From these the steam, together with anycondensateyows through parallel flinesfd, '-46' and 41 to a line 48.joining Ythe line 3S"l`eadin`g"'to the ivseparator 10.

Thus the Vseveralheat'ed drums, rollers'andplates which engage thesheets14.',13 and'C 'havefsteam passed'therethrough infparallel', and'allofth'eieicy 'hau'st steam, 'non-cnderisa'ble gases and 'co'n densate fromthese units pass to separatorl '140, from which 'the "condensate is'withdrawn through 'a line' 50yin'cluding'a trap 5I; to fa'fcn densatereturn line 52.

In the doublefacer there 'maybe a large num- Aber'of hater'plates-2"I,'a`nd thes'e are preferably divided into groups `with the `steampassing 1in parallel 4through `the '.plates of each :group arid inseries through the groups of theplates, and with condensate withdrawalfrom the 'line between successive groups. The lnumber of Eplatesi eachgroup may be one for`r`n'ore, 'a'nd vthe numberfof 'groups may 'be one"or 'iiior-e, vand the 'different groups `may Vhave"different numbers of"plates The exact 'arrangement will Cdepend 'onthesize of themaehineythefnumber offe1"`eritsusedfsnd the 'average rate fofsteam-'eensumptin 'in 'these elements, 'but will 'i'n` anyv case' besuoli ftha't Se? steam eowaw-il-lisrbe, maintained .feat .la .suicientlyhigh rate to prevent non-condensable gases from.; departing. from the.steamtoiorm .lmsionpockets onany appreciablezsize.;

Asi.` .shown,.thez.steam, after havingl .heated the units'bf-lthel'singleiacenY and after. having all confV densatearemovdfatthe.separatorf 40; but. still including..anysnon-condensable'gases whichmay... havestbeeniinthe. steam, risrtaken.from thetopfoffV the separator40p through-.a illne... 53;; andlaconaj ductedthroughzbranehes.541,-to..the yplate-...| 9,5.andx to the plates 2| of the rst group ofplates. at thefintak'e endY ofV :the .dou'blefacerv From*b these platesite-passes .through branches.. 55 to `a line 561i. leading. to aV.separatorasimilar .to separator-l40.,l and .twithsia trap .5 fa. for`withdrawal 'of L con-1 L den'satetolthe line.521.-

The...steam..is delivered. tothe units of thel singleface'r under.pressure,.;w1iich may. beeld() .-toq 175: .-pounds; .butthis pressureandthe correspond-l Cil lng temperature, drop somewhat in passing-f.

'5 Dil m'ai'ningylplatesofthe'-doublefaoer` under anyreducedlpressureand reduced temperature thatmayfbedesired -to suit i thematerials being run; and-so'a's to produce board ofl better quality andA withi-1ess tendency -to sulzvseiuentwarpage. For operation underconditions requiring mairimum heata`bypas's line 59113 to renderthis'fpressur'e reducing valve inoperative ips-provided.

Steaml---fromithe -pres'sure reducer 58 4V`passesV Y through-'a line6D-'toVr a -line 61;- from which" branoheswBZ ingparallel deliverV steamto; the heate'rl 'plates 2 hof -thelnext group, and the steamY fromlthesema-y-I pass through branches 53 IinY paralllltoi-a line [i4-to theseparator and con-V densatetrap Yatthe endy of this group of plates.

Tri-parallel dischargebranches 63' preferablyf have-'flow regulators63atoA facilitatethe regulation of flow and securefthe desired,distribution thruglijthe-Aplates. There `may beras many`groupsof-plates lwith intermediate separators and traps'as desired.- andthe' steam from the .final plates goes to a separator 65 similar to theseparators-AU-and 51gr `and with a similar condensate`A draw-'01T `trap5Ib.4 It `will thus be seen that the highest: temperature steam is usedin the singleiacer` and the pre-heaters, slightly' lowertemperature-steam is used in the first plates of the doublefaeer; andthe lowestpressure steam is` usedfinth'e nal plates.

Fromthefinal` separator 65 the residual steam,` together-with allnon-condensable gases which may. have Ybeen inthe original steam,listaken off 'i through the line BBand-conducted back to' thevvsinglefacer. Here it passes through a line 61fto a heater .68, thencethrough` branches 69 and 10 tonozzles 'H;and..12, which/lattermay-frequentlybe..located` ini a recess of heater drum I5. Thesenozzlesare disposed on opposite sides of the sheet B gandainadvanceoftheipoint where said. sheet sgthecorrugating; roller.. I4. .1 Theheater 68v i may be of .any suitable;type. but is .preferably an,.electricheater, so that 1the .temperature;of the.;4

exhaust ,steam from the deliveryV end ofgthe doublefacer may be raisedto a `suitable temperature, ranging as high as 500 F., before 4being.sprayed onto the sheet B; The steam from line S1 preferably passes tothe bottomof the heater,V and any condensate may be drawn off throughssuitable trap 14.. The condensate from the trap may be delivered to theline 52. In oase there is any condensation in the main steam yline 25,t.`or-

in the line 65, it may be drawn off through simifv lar suitable traps14a' and 14h and deliveredto 'i the line 52.

It is important to note that in my improved,v system there is no ventfor non-condensable'gases along the line of flow of the steam, and thatall such gases are swept through the system and dis--` charged therefromwith the steam spray nozzles yat H and 12. Where the facing sheets alsorequire some spraying with steam there will be additional nozzlessuitably located. It will also be noted that there is no steam returnline, that all of the steam delivered through the main line 25 is usedup in the system, and all condensate. formed along the line is separatedand returned.`

through the line 52.

It will also be noted that the steamunder the highest pressure and atthe highest temperature.

is delivered to the elements which require maximum temperature, namelythe several preheaters and the rollers of the rst unit;` that the steamis then delivered to the doublefacer; and that steam at the lowesttemperature and lowest prest L, sure employed is used inmaintaining thetemperature of thecompleted sheet or board at the delivery end portionof the doublefacer, where it acts primarily to prevent cooling ofy thesheet rather than to raise .the temperature thereof.

It will also be noted that the stream ultimately used in the nozzlesadjacent to the corrugating rollers is first circulated through themachine thus increasing throughout the machine the rate of stream flow.which in turn makes it possible to effectively sweep out theobject-ionablefnom condensable gases. Furthermore it should be notedthat since these nozzles are discharging steam continrously while themachine is in operation there is continuous flow through the machine.This notonly aids in sweeping out non-condensable gases but also aidsmaterially .the efficient removal of condensate and makes possible amuch quickerand more accurate con* trol of the steam pressure andtemperature of all but the first group of plates in the doublefacer.`

Pressure gauges are employed at the variousseparators, and -if desiredat other places in the line of flow, in order that the operator may obVserve and control the temperature and pressure of the steam delivered tothe various units.

It will-he` understood thatif twe or-more corrugated -sheets'areemployed with 'intermediate plain sheets tomakea thicker andstiier'product-y a plurality of singlefacers may be` employed landconnected in parallel-by steam -lines drawn from thevmain supplyline25,V and all delivering'the`ir--y exhaust-steam to the line 3%-whichgces to theseparator -4 9;

It will further be understood that where-no 'l doublefacer isusedyasfforinstance wheresingle faced board only is 1 aroduc'ed, 0r where-fervar-Ll ous .reasons it Yis, not considered--feasible.to'alterl A thesteamandtdrainage system. of a double-facer,-

this....system. of. zcirculating... the .showery steam throughithe..heat.ed .elements of 1a corrugator loan. i

beapplied'tothesinglefacer only. Similarly the system 'can be appliedonly to the doublefacer, the shower steam for a singlefacer operating inconjunction with such doubleiacer circulating through the double Yfaceronly. Y

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A heating system for a corrugated board machine, including asinglefacer having steam heated rollers and drums and a doubleiacerhavingl steam heated plates, in'combination with a steam supply line, acondensate returnline, means for conducting steam from said supply linethrough said rollers and drums, thence through said plates, and thenceas jets against at least one of the sheets delivered to the machine formoistening the sheet to be corrugated, separators for condensate atspaced points along the` line of steam flow, and traps for withdrawingcondensate but not gases from said separato-rs, and delivering it tosaid return line.

2. The combination of a Singlefacer having steam heated corrugatingrollers, a doubleiacer having steam heated plates, means for supplyingsteam to said rollers, means for separating ccndensate but not gasesfrom the steam delivered from said rollers, means for delivering steamfrom said separating means to said plates, means for separatingcondensate but not gases from the steam delivered from said plates, andmeans for heating at least one of the sheets delivered to saidsinglefacer, by thesteam and gases delivered from said last mentionedseparating means.

3. In combination, a singlefacer, a doublefacer, a moistener for atleast one ofthe sheets delivered tc saidsinglefacer, and means fordelivering steam to said singleriacer, said doublefacer, and saidmoistener in series, and in the order above named.

4. In combination, a singlefacer having a plurality oi rollers anddrums, moistening and heating means for at least one of the sheets de*livered thereto, means for delivering steam through said rollers anddrums in parallel, separating means for removing condensate but notnon-condensable gases from the steam leaving said drums and rollers, andmeans for delivering to said moistening and heating means said lastmentioned steam from said separating means,

5. In combination, a singlefacer having a plurality c-f rollers anddrums, moistening and heating means for at least one of the sheetsdelivered thereto, means for delivering steam through rollers and drums,separating means for removing condensate but not non-condensable gasesfrom the steam leaving said drums and rollers, and means for deliveringto said moistening and heating means said last mentioned steam from saidseparating means.

6. A machine for processing sheet material, including a plurality ofelements over which the material passes in series, means for deliveringsteam through said elements in series in the path of movement of thematerial, and means for moistening said material at the material intakeend of the machine, by exhaust steam discharged from an element at thedelivery end of the machine.

7. A machine for processing sheet material, including a plurality ofelements over which the material passes in series, means for deliveringsteam through said elements, and means for moistening said material atthe material intake end of the machine, by exhaust steam discharged Cilfrom an element at the delivery end of the mchine.v

8. A machine for making double faced corrugated paper, including aseries of plates over which the paper passes, means for passing steamthrough said platesl generally in the direction of movement of saidpaper, means for separating condensate but not non-condensable gasesfrom` the steam discharged from said plates, and means for moisteningand heating a sheet delivered to said doublefacer by said last mentionedsteam and gases.

9. A machine for making double faced corrugated paper, including aseries of plates over which the paper passes, means for passing steamthrough said plates, means for separating condensate but notnon-condensable gases from the steam discharged from said plates, andmeans for moistening and heating a sheet delivered to said doublefacerby said last mentioned steam and 11. In combination, a singlefacer, adoublefacer, a moistener for at least one of the sheets delivered tosaid singlefacer, means for deliveri ing steam to said singlefacer, saiddoublefacer, and said moistener in series, and in the order 1 abovenamed, and means for separating condensate but not non-condensable gasesfrom said steam between said singlefacer and said doublefacer andbetween saidv dou-blefacer and said moistener.

12. In combination, a singlefacer, a doublefacer, a moistener for atleast one of the sheets delivered to said singlefacer, means fordelivering steam to said singlefacer, said doublefacer, andvv said'moistener in series, and in the order above named, and means forseparating condensate said singlefacer and said doublefacer, anddischarged at said moistener.

13. In combination, a singlefacer having a plu- I rality of rollers anddrums, moistening and heating means for at least one of the sheetsdelivered to said singlefacer, a doublefacer having a plurality ofgroups ofA plates, means for delivering steam through said rollers anddrums in parallel, a condensate separator through which the steam isdelivered from said rollers and drums, means for delivering steam fromsaid separator through said groups oi plates in series and through theplates of each group in parallel, condensate separators through whichthe steam passes between each group of plates, and means for deliveringsteam, together with all non-condensable gases from the last of saidseparators to said sheet heating and moistening means.

14. In combination, a singlefacer having a plurality of rollers anddrums, moistening and heating means for at least one of the sheetsdelivered to said singlefacer, a doublefacer having a plurality ofgroups of plates, means for delivering 75 steam through said rollers anddrums in parallel,

a condensate separator through which the steam REFERENCES CITED andnon-condensable gases are delivered from The followlng references are ofrecord in the sald rollers and drums, means for delivering me of t1.:patent:

steam and gases from said separator through said groups of plates inseries and in the general di- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS rection of themovement of the product through .l

the doublefacer, a `condensate separator through Nugs Knolgme OctDote190() which the steam and gases pass from the last 1 357453 Hawking Nob2 1920 group of said series, and means for delivering said 1770757Maston Jul '15 1930 steam and gases from said last separator to said lo1817110 Stickle Auy 4 1931 moistening and heating means. g'

W ALTER J GOETTSCH 2,341,335 Simmons Feb. 8, 1944

